Bangkok Pattaya Hospital - AVOID

[CockSnot]

I will try to keep this brief, but IMHO you should AVOID the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital at all costs unless you are insured up the ass, and even then, possibly on grounds of poor service.

 

2 seperate issues:

 

1) I had a gastroscopy here recently. This is a procedure whereby a long fibre optic camera, approximately 1 cm thick, is fed down your throat and into your stomach. This can be done using local anaesthetic on the throat area or by sedation so the patient is basically knocked out sleeping. I opted for the sedative option. I woke up part way through the procedure and proceeded to dam near choke to death. They had not given me enough sedative. It was absolutely horrific. I was offered no apologies and no discounts. Total price for doctors, meds and procedure: 14,000 baht approx. Procedure took a few minutes.

 

2) On another occasion I had been running a low fever for 8 or 9 days. I was starting to get a bit worried and consulted with a very experienced doctor friend in the UK who told me that a prolonged fever for this amount of time could be an indicator of something very serious and that I should get to hospital asap. Off I trotted to the Bangkok Pattaya in the vain hope that the internal medicine department was staffed by people more competent than the GI department. Oh how wrong I was.

 

The doctor I saw took basic blood and urine tests, brought me in and told me that what I had was certainly a virus of some description. He then asked me if I was insured, to which I replied no. The look on his face went from happiness to distress as he packed me off with paracetamol (at over 10 times the price of paracetamol in any pharmacy in Thailand) and antibiotics. The antibiotics confused me, given that they are absolutely no use against viruses. Antibiotics combat bacteria.

 

(It is not, however uncommon to be given antibiotics for such viruses as the common cold in Thailand, but this is usually by an under-qualified pharmacist who will normally know less about the drugs they are giving you than you do, and hardly ever ask about allergies, other medicines you are taking, underlying medical conditions etc... basic stuff.)

 

Anyway, sure enough, 4 days later I still have the fever. I go back to the BKK Pattaya to complain that the previous doctor had not taken my condition at all seriously, had not run nearly enough tests and had prescribed me some very odd drugs given his diagnosis. My complaints, as always in Thailand it seems, fell on deaf ears.

 

I was assured that I would be seen by a specialist who would be much more adept. In I went to see the specialist. He runs more tests, bloods, CRP, hepatic function. He diagnoses me. He gives me treatment as an outpatient for four days. The treatment does not work. His diagnosis is wrong.

 

Thus far I have been charged approximately 17,000 baht for two diagnosis and treatments, both incorrect.

 

The specialist then calls in a colleague who says I must stay in overnight. They suspect that they know what is wrong with me but they want me to stay in for treatment overnight. I agree to stay.

 

The 'treatment' I received overnight was a saline/dextrose standard IV drip, some vitamins and some painkillers. I see a new doctor in the morning who tells me that there is no reason for me to be in the hospital as an inpatient and that all I need do is monitor my temperature at home as the condition I have is a virus, they have already tested for all the major ones and it is none of those so it's just a case of bed rest and paracetamol..

 

Total bill for 1 night plus 'meds': 27,000 BAHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So, now I have spent a total of 44,000 baht for two incorrect diagnosis/treatments and 1 night in a hospital bed that I clearly did not need.

 

This place is PURELY A MONEY MAKING MACHINE - Avoid it at all costs.

 

Coming from the UK I find the idea of private hospitals abhorrent - how can you give proper, impartial healthcare when there is a board setting 'sales' targets with shareholders to answer to? However, I have seen the public hospitals out here - they are not a place you want to be as anything other than a visitor.

 

Yes, I should have had insurance but in all my years here I am still way ahead on the cost of health insurance vs healthcare bills - but after this experience I may just bite the bullet and get the insurance. I had always taken the view that if I had any major issues I would just scoot back home and get top class care for free, but now I can see that minor issues can end up costing you dear either through incompetence or greed on the part of the hospital - and of course there is always the 'what if i had a big road accident' angle to consider....

 

Anyways - all in all stay away from BPH - these jokers just want to get their hands as deep into your pockets as possible!

Edited August 7, 2011 by Rhubarb

[ingo67]

I have no personal experience of BPH, however I have heard similar stories from contacts over the years. It seems to operate on the assumption that insured expats will pay ridiculous fees for many dubious treatments.

It does have certain facilities that other hospitals in the area don't have but these facilities are much better accessed via using such hospitals such as Pattaya Memorial Hospital or going further afield to places like Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital in Sattihip.

[YZFR6]

It is a massive rip off. I have also heard stories of costs minimum 30,000 baht per day.

 

Also need to say stay the hell away from Banglamung Hospital. I dont know how they call that place a hospital but it is super nasty. I was there in 2008 to visit a lady who got really sick. The wards are terrible with beds lined up every where. So understaffed and I got the feeling I was going to die just from walking around. Couldnt wait to get the hell out of there.

 

Stay safe all.

 

YZFR6.

[noodleman]

I personaly have been to the bangkok pattaya hospital I had plastic surgery for a horrible Nose. In Australia I had a rhinoplasty and the doctor stuffed it up here at a cost of 10 000 dollars everything. I then decided to save myselkf money and paid roughly $3000 I went to bangkok pattaya to have a revision rhinoplasty the results where fantastic. The doctors there where amazing and the hospital was like being in a 5 star hotel.

[Goanna]

A medical for Aussie visa was 7000 baht at Global Doctor in Bangkok. Got the next ones for 2500 baht each at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Worked for us...

[CockSnot]

I personaly have been to the bangkok pattaya hospital I had plastic surgery for a horrible Nose. In Australia I had a rhinoplasty and the doctor stuffed it up here at a cost of 10 000 dollars everything. I then decided to save myselkf money and paid roughly $3000 I went to bangkok pattaya to have a revision rhinoplasty the results where fantastic. The doctors there where amazing and the hospital was like being in a 5 star hotel.

 

I guess it depends what you are in for, although I do feel that going in for an elective surgery such as rhinoplasty is different from being forced in by illness, where you are much more vulnerable and at their mercy so to speak AND the price has not been agreed upfront as a package, they can just keep piling on the costs with unnecessary treatment and wrong diagnosis.

 

Comparing prices to home countries, as I said in the OP had I been in the UK I would have received rapid world class treatment absolutely free.

 

5 star hotel....?

 

Airline standard food that was stone cold by the time it got to me every time.... Dated interiors.... ridicuously hard bed and old pillows that had bunched up inside into little knots. No DVD player or radio which are piss cheap to buy out here. The pyjamas were nice though 555.

 

The room rate at BPH (EXCLUDING nurses, treatment, meds etc.) is north of 10,000 baht per night. I don't know what 5 star hotels you have stayed in here in Thailand but for that money I would be expecting something absolutely outstanding. They then add nurses fees on top of that for every 6 hours you are in, as well as docs fees and some other rubbish I can't remember on a six hour cycle.

 

Then of course there are the meds, tests and treatments to pay for, all of which are ludicrously expensive when compared to other hospitals in the area.

 

Example:

 

My chest X Ray at BPH: 2,000 baht

Laamoks chest X Ray at local competitor: 200 baht.

 

The figures speak for themselves.

 

As I said previously, I was told after only one night that I never really needed to be admitted - this was by a consultant that freelances there and has her own clinic in BKK.

 

Still the doctor I saw first had scared me enough into staying overnight (and planned to keep me another 2 nights at least until i discharged myself - back to my point of vulnerability) and it ended up costing me 27k for that one night. Had I stayed the full 3 we would have been creeping up to 100k in totally unnecessary costs.

 

This is not meant as a pop at you, just my opinion.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Rhubarb

[brewster]

I can't comment on Pattaya hospitals, but I have nothing but praise for the treatments I have received at various Bangkok hospitals.

 

But surely any expat living here would have medical insurance as a matter of course? Pretty crazy not to, IMO.

[pubstud]

This entire Bangkok Hospital Group - Bangkok Pattaya, Bangkok Samui, whereever they are they have a reputation for charging big time. On another forum a couple years ago an Aussie lady was saying she got billed about 3000 Bt for a consultation with a GP at the Bangkok Samui Hospital. This is out and out robbery. They are in fact cheating the travel insurance companies and I have no idea how come they keep getting away with this year in and year out. All the travel insurance company needs do is have a Thai secretary phone the hospital and ask how much for a standard consultation and they reply would be somewhere around 300-500Bt. Then they can ask well how come you billed us 3000Bt? I mean this is fraud and people go to prison over crap like this.

 

By the way, I usually go to Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip and a doctor there told me a while ago that many doctors from Queen Sirikit hospital drive up to Bangkok Pattaya hospital and do a few extra hours in the evenings. So it's not like you're getting special doctors.

[LaaMok]

I went into bangkok pattaya around 6 years ago and I was faced with a HUGE bill, last time I had a problem, I went to Pattaya memorial, which is a much better price.

 

However, if its something simple and easy and you cant justify paying through the nose, then its worth going to the banglamung government hospital, whereby its far far cheaper. (200 baht) for an xray.

 

If my gf has a problem, I would take her to Pattaya memorial, as I would feel too cheap taking her to government... but if its me, I am happy with banglamung hospital, I dont need the nice scenery, and the last time I went there, it was a doctor that also worked at banglamung hospital.

 

If I was going to have major surgery, I would go to the famous sattahip government hospital, which has a very good reputation.

[Steph0]

SPoke to a guy yesterday who was in pattaya international hospital on soi 4 for 6 night and paid 138,000 baht.

Pattaya memorial is probably slightly more expensive. Banglamung is the best, had a doctor's consultation, chest x-ray and meds for 120 baht.

I'd also go to the Queen Sirikit hospital in sattahip for anything major.

[JayBird]

This is odd, as I had a difference experience all together.

 

I was comming down with something whilst on vacation, and wanted to get it fixed up ASAP. Rather than go to the hospital (and get sicker whilst travelling/waiting), I called in on the phone.

 

Person with english answered, and transferred me to a nurse type person, who took down my symptoms. Rather than me comming in, I requested a house-call.

 

About 45 minutes later, in my room was:

- A Doctor

- A Nurse

- A CMT

 

The doctor spoke good english, and examined me. Told me what looked wrong, and gave me a bunch of pills and antibiotics.

 

Total cost was 4000 THB.

 

 

All in all, I thought that was great.

 

Maybe the issue is less the service/price, and more the skill level of the doctor? Mine might of been easy enough to clear up, but if you have something that is not common enough it may be tougher for them to do the right job. (And I've had bad/incompotent doctors everywhere).

[CockSnot]

This is odd, as I had a difference experience all together.

 

I was comming down with something whilst on vacation, and wanted to get it fixed up ASAP. Rather than go to the hospital (and get sicker whilst travelling/waiting), I called in on the phone.

 

Person with english answered, and transferred me to a nurse type person, who took down my symptoms. Rather than me comming in, I requested a house-call.

 

About 45 minutes later, in my room was:

- A Doctor

- A Nurse

- A CMT

 

The doctor spoke good english, and examined me. Told me what looked wrong, and gave me a bunch of pills and antibiotics.

 

Total cost was 4000 THB.

 

 

All in all, I thought that was great.

 

Maybe the issue is less the service/price, and more the skill level of the doctor? Mine might of been easy enough to clear up, but if you have something that is not common enough it may be tougher for them to do the right job. (And I've had bad/incompotent doctors everywhere).

 

It is slightly concerning that you were dished out a bunch of antibiotics without any lab testing whatsoever (unless of course you had an obvious bacterial infection i.e. something yellow/green and stinky coming out of somewhere or other such symptoms). Indiscriminate use of antibiotics can reduce their effectiveness when they are truly needed. Very dangerous indeed.

 

 

However I still think the problem is price.

 

Example... friend with bowel cancer needs an operation. Quotes come back as follows:

 

Bangkok Pattaya: 300,000 baht. Colostomy bag required to be removed at a later date, incurring further costs.

Pattaya International: 180,000 baht. Same story with colostomy.

Queen Sirikit: 80,000 baht, no follow up treatments or colostomy required.

 

Friend chose Queen Sirikit, treatment was first class. Even spotted the doc he had consulted with at BKK Pattaya walking the halls in a white coat... same doctors work at both, one is less than 1/3 the price of the other... go figure.

 

I am also suspicious that the use of a colostomy at BKK Pattaya was simply to keep him coming back, spending more money, but then I am a cynical bugger.

Edited August 15, 2011 by Rhubarb

[Bush Pig]

Had a hernia done in BPH a few years back at 80K

I was told it would have been 40K at Memorial.

Basically I went in to BPH and they said they had to operate straight away.

Overnight I was done.

Had feeling they overcharged me.

The hernia on my belly button was sore and wouldn't pop back in.

So I went in as a matter of caution and they wouldn't let me out.

 

 

[phomsanuk]

All private hospitals are money making machines and BPH is one of the greediest and getting hungrier by the day. That being said they have saved my life a couple of times and I'm insured.

Anytime you go after hours emergency will have you stay overnight just to have a regular MD tell you it was unnessesary. They like to throw you into ICU or CCU if anything looks possibly serious.

[stonepeace]

The hickup with your sedatives is par for the course in Thailand. Thais need really small doses of sedatives to get an effect. If you can, get an anesthesiologist from farangland, or they might start cutting while you're only slightly buzzed. Or tell them that your girlfriend says you're a buffalo, so you will need extras on the good stuff to keep you under :-)

[Ling555]

Sorry to hear about your experience.

 

I had a great experience with doctors in Bangkok pattaya hospital. The prices where less then half of what i was charged in <bumrungrad hospital in bangkok.

[stevxpl]

I have had my son into Bangkok Pattaya on 2 separate occasions where he has required overnight stays and they have provided services beyond expectations, I would have no problems continuing to use their services and have done so for many years.

 

I have also seen the differences between regional government, semi-private and private hospitals and from that alone I will continue to use hospitals like the Bangkok group and Bumrunngrad level of hospitals in Thailand. I do have full health insurance but I have rarely, when taking into account a $450 excess, had to claim on insurance.

[malcoml]

A friend of mine had a heart attack and was in for one night and they charged him close to 400K baht.

 

Poor guy couldn't pay it so now the hospital holds his pasport and has him on some type of payment arrangement.

[chivas]

To balance the OP I have to add that when my partner went in for a C section we were charged 40,000 fixed fee including 5 nights in luxury room.14 staff in operating room (usual thai overkill !)

 

Brilliant hospital and when I have been as an outpatient for a very severe sprain I was charged just 2,580 baht for everything including a pair of Mercedes crutches non returnable.